Police in Alhambra arrested a suspected car thief after a wild pursuit that ended when the man hid in a garage and wrapped himself in a large rug, only for his “bad hiding spot” to be sniffed out by a K9 officer.
According to the Alhambra Police Department, officers originally noticed a vehicle reported stolen out of the city of Orange near Fremont and Commonwealth avenues.
When they went to conduct a traffic stop, the driver initially complied and pulled over; however, he then sped off at a high rate of speed, causing a pursuit to be initiated, police said.
Bodycam footage posted to social media by the department indicates the incident took place on the afternoon of Feb. 26.
“He drove into the city of Los Angeles and ran into a nearby residence,” the Alhambra Police Department said on Instagram. “A perimeter was set, and officers began searching the area.”
The officers were checking the residence’s backyard when K9 Doggo alerted them to the garage, where the suspect – identified by police as Juan Hernandez – was found wrapped in a large rug behind several storage bins. Police stated that he initially refused to come out with his hands up, as he was claiming that he was stuck and unable to move.
“After some maneuvering – and much regret – he pushed the boxes aside and came out,” Alhambra police said. “Unfortunately for the suspect, K9 Doggo has a nose for bad hiding spots.”
Hernandez, a Los Angeles resident, was arrested and booked at the Alhambra Police Department Jail.
